Road



Dec. 4, 119.28.l 1,693,807

L. H.A .cALLAN ROAD- Filed Feb.- 26, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l L ,fd

T T- T E fai mw czlmu L. H. cALLAN Dec. 4, 1928.

ROAD

Filed Feb. 26, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 4, 1928. 1,693,807

L. H. CYALLAN ROAD Filed Feb. 26, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES Lasso? rATaN'r oFFIcELf LUKE H. CALL.AN, 0F BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

Roan.

Application meaebruary 2e, 1925. serial No. 11,823.

My invention relates to roads, especially roadshaving an exposed surface vcomprising a layer of paving blocks, and the process oflaying the. same. l

The main object of my invention 1s to provide a road easy today, easy to repair, having parts which'may be readily taken up to permit repairs by public utilities for sewers, gas pipes, etc. and which will remain set during extreme variations of temperature and weather. I preferably construct the paving blocks of hardl vulcanized rubber. I am aware that rubber has been used for the eX- posed surface of road beds and am alsoaware that rubber tiles or blocks have also been used both for floors and for the exposed-surfaces of road beds but so far as I am aware no satisfactory road has yet been built wherein the exposed layer comprises a plurality 'of hard rubber vu canized paving blocks which will remain set durlng the expansion andcontraction which takes place duringy the' My invention comprises aroad consisting l o f a base of cement or wood, a layer of a blnder laid thereon and a plurality of paving blocks preferably of hardv vulcanized rubber ployed, in the summer months said surfacesv are apt to crack due to the expansion thereof and in winter months are apt to bulge due to 'the contraction thereof. The advantages of a road bed having-the wearing qualities of a surface of hard rubber are Well knownuas it lasts a ver long time and will stand much rough tra ic without even showing it.

A" further object of my invention is to provide as a new article of manufacture an improved hard vulcanized rubber paving block. I am aware that hard vulcanized rub` ber pavingblocks"comprising blocks or tiles having projections therefrom are old; lThese may be divided into two classes., firstly those having projections extendingmt'o the road base usually of dove-tail "shapewhich permit no relative expansion and contraction between the rubber blocks and the road base and secondly those which have projections on their sides or ends or both adapted to register in complementary recesses on the sides or ends of adjacent blocks for various purposes. -So

far as I am aware, however', all blocks of' this type have been adapted to be firmlysecured to the adjacent blocks in one fashion or another either by'nails or by having rotuberances extending therefrom adapte `to firmly secure them in unspaced-relationship to adjacent blocks. It is obvious that any type of blocks which are firmly secured either to the road base orto the adjacent blocks', will crack or get out of alignment andbulge with variations intemperature. v i

My invention comprises paving blocks havingk means thereon adapted to cooperatewitlr complementary means on adjacent blocks to permit expansion of the road base Without getting said 'blocks out of alignmentv and to permitwcontraction of said base without causing said blocks to bulge. Specifically this means comprises comparatively weakprojec'- tions on one endand one side of saidblocks Y preferably adjacent to the base thereon adapted to project into complementary recesses,

referably adjacent to the base on adjacent locks, said projections ,being of a substan-v tially greater length than the length of' said recess but of substantially lesser Width. As the projections are of asubstantially less Width t-han the recesses it is obvious that said .base may expand and also move the blocks without ygetting said blocks out of alignment by the narrower projections moving relatively in the wider recesses of adjacent blocks. As the road base contracts it is obvious that it will cause relative movement between the individual blocks. As the projectionsare as stated comparatively Weak, under the great force of this contraction they will merely' bend over or spread out in the larger recesses made therefore in the adjacent blocks, however, without causing the blocks to bulge. Even after this contraction has once taken place, however, the projections will still be of such a. length as to prevent the blocks from getting out of alignment on later expansion of the base.

In addition I provide the base of the blocks with cushioning recesses which so far as I am aware are new in hlockssor tiles of any type.l `These perform three functions, they lil() serve to receive some of the binder therein which tends to between the bloc s and base, they serve to give a springiness or cushioning effect to the upper surface, air being more easily compressed than rubber, and as a partial vacuum may be formedtherein they tend to provide suction means to permit `the atmospheric res sure to further assist in bindingthe bloc s to provide an improved method of laying roads of this description.- For this purpose I provide' a cement binder which preferably comprises approximately 7 5% of coal-tar and 25% of rubber cement which firmly binds the blocks to the base, yet permits the necessary relative movement thereof. i

These and such other objects ofmy invention as may hereinafter ap ar will be best. understood from a descriptlon of the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings, Fi 1 is a plan view partially broken away, o a road constructed in accordance with my invention, the-paving blocks being in spaced relationship as laid.

Fig. 2` is a p an view vsimilar to Fig. 1 showin the position the blocks assume after ex ansion and contraction of the base.

ig.' 3 is a transverse sectional view of a road constructed in accordance with my in ventlon.4

Figui is an enlar ed transverse sectional view taken along the, ine 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along Ithe line 5-5'of Fig. 4.-..

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of the blocks as laid taken along theline 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the blocks similar to Fig. 6, on a portion of the road surface-wherein the base has contracted to bend over the'projections in the Vrecesses of the blocks.

' Fig. 8 is a vidual block.y

Fig. 9 is an inverted an individual block. p p

Fig. v10 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing'a modified form of my perspective view "of an indiperspective view of invention having a cushioning layer of bituminous material between the base and the binder. y p f .n

In the drawings, wherein `like characters of, reference indicate ylike parts throughout, 20 generally indicates a paving block constructed in accordance with my invention.

revent relative movementv Said blocks are preferably of oblong shape or rectangular parallelepipedons and as stated are preferably constructed ofvhard vulcanized rubber. The desirabilityof pav- 1n blocks constructed of hard vulcanized rubber has already'been referred to. Said paving blocks are provided on one side and` preferably also on one end thereof with comparativel weak projections' 22,' preferably also of o long shape. Said blocks are provided on the opposlte side and op osite end from said projections 22 with t c oblong recesses `24. The projections 22, to spacev the blocks from each other, are of substantially greater length than the length of said recesses but are of a substantially lesser width; The blocks 20 arealsopreferably provided with the cushionin recesses 26 preferably rectangular or o a diamond shape on the base thereof. Said paving blocks are also preferably provided with means to provide a -gripping surface on the upper surface. lthereof for trafiic which in m preferred embodiment preferably lcomprise diagonally corrugated recesses 28. 'y

As` stated, my invention comprisesa new type'cf road preferably employing as component parts thereof the paving blocks described 1n Vthe preceding paragraph. Said road is provided with the base 30. While anyfsuitable type vof road base may be employed, Il preferably employ a base of a lastic materral althou h Awoodor any o the other types of` road ases may be employed. l

In the preferred embodiment shown said road base 30 comprises a grouting composed of the'usual trap rock A32 joinedto etherby the usual cementitiousbinder 34.y In the modication shown in Fig. 10, I further cover this layer of groutin with an additional cushioning layer 36 of ituminous material preferably mixed with sand asis usual in road bases of this type, though the'road' may be structed with or without this additional layer as desired. This cushioning layer 36 is referably used on old roads to smooth o the old often rou h 'surface thereof and to provide a flatsur ace for the'layin'g of the binder and the blocks thereon. In new roads where the base is laid flat, though sometimes desirableit 'is not necessary. As explained, especially where the road base is constructed `of a plastic or cementitious material it is apt to expand and contract with changes in temi con- 'y as at 38. This may be done by a grantingL roller or in any suitable manner.

After the layer of binder 40 has been alpplied to the upper roughened surface of t ie base, I prefera ly lay the blocks- 20 ythereon in spaced loosely interlocked relationshi It is obvious that'the blocks may be readi y laid, the projections22 thereof being readily fitted into the complementary recesses 24 in the ends and sides of adjacent blocks already laid. It is\al'so obvious that when for any reason it is desired to take up a portion of said road bed, any individual block 20 may be readily raised rlght up, the projections 22 thereof being readily pulled out of the complementary recesses 24 of adjacent blocks if the block 20 is grasped at the proper corner. i When the road 50 is laid it is obvious that if desired the spaces 42 between the b-locks may be filled with sand 44 or any other suitable filler and it then comprises a base preferably constructed of a plastic material which expands and contracts with changes in temperature, which base 30 preferably comprises a layer of grouting and a cushioning layer of bituminousmaterial 36 laid thereon, havy with the other parts in a ncw manner to form ing a roughened upper surface 38, a layer of a composltion coal-tar and cement binder 40 on the upper surface thereof and a layer of hard vulcanized rubber paving blocks 20 laid thereon in spaced loosely interlocked relationship having the comparatively weak projections 22 on the ends and sides thereof adapted to project into the complementary recesses 24 on adjacent blocks 20; said projections 22 being of a substantially greater length than the length of the recesses 24 but of a substantially lesser width whereby said base 30 may expand without getting said blocks 2O out of alignment (as shown in Fig. 2) and on contraction of said base 30, the said projections 24 may be bent without causing said blocks 20 to bulge and cushioning recesses 26 on the base of the blocks to receive the binder 40 therein to provide a better binding surface, to add springiness to the road and to aid'in nematically binding the blocks -20 to the ase 30 and sand 44 in the spaces 42 between vthe adjacent blocks, said blocks 20 having mansprefera'bly comprising the diagonal recesses 28 onthe upper surface thereof to provide a grippin surface for traic. It is ob'- vious that eac part of this road combines a new structure, resistant to the elements, of the base 30 functioning in the usual way, the layer 40 of binder functioning to lfirmly yet yieldingly bind the blocks 20 to the base 30, the cushioning recesses 28 aiding in this purpose and the blocks 20 themselves forming a durable tralc surface provided with specific means for grip ing the traflic and said blocks bei'ng provide wlth means thereon adapted to co-opera'te with complementary means on adjacent -blocks toV space the blocks. and to hard rubber permit expansion of said base without getj `standing extreme variations in temperature.

When the base 30 contracts in cold weather, assuming that the contraction takes place around the point X in Fig. 2, it is obvious that the sand 44 in the spaces between the blocks will be readily forced out as the blocks move nearer to each other as shown in Fig. 2, and that under the great pressure the comparatively Weak projections 22 will bend over or spread out within the comparatively wider recesses 24 as shown in Fig. 7, thus permitting lthe blocks to move closer during contraction of theroad bed without bulging. It is also obvious that as the blocks adjacent to the contraction centre X move nearer to each other, the blocks further away' from it will spread apart as shown in Fig. 2. The projections 22 even if bent up as shown in Fig. 7 will still register within the recesses 24 and the recesses 24 being of a greater width than the projections 22 will permit said blocks 20 to again spread apart from eac-h other without getting out of alignment. y

Though I preferably employ hard rubber, and preferably hard rubber which has been vulcanized, it is obvious that hard rubber in any form may be employed or that equivalent materialsI which will permit the projections to bend and the recesses 26 to function as'suc. tion recesses ma be emplo ed.

In the claimsI employ t e word sides in reference to said blocks in referring either to the sides or ends of said blocks or both.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown orr 1.v A road comprising a plastic base, coml rising a layer o groutingand a cushioning ayer, of bituminous material laid thereon having a roughened upper surface, a layer of composition coal-tar and rubber cement binder on the upper surface thereof, a layer of paving blocks laid thereon in spaced loosely interlocked relationship having comparatively weak pro'ectionson the ends and sides thereof adapted toA project into complementary recesses on the ends and sides of adjacent blocks, said substantially greater ength than-the ngth ofsaid recesses but of a substantially lesser width, whereby said blocks may be spaced by said projections under ordinary traic and climatic conditions and, under extreme temperatures, said base may expand without getting said blocks out of alignment and on contraction thereof said projections may bend vwithout bulging said blocks and cushioning recesses on the basethercof to receive thehinder and to aid in pneumatically binding said blocks to the base and sand in the spaces between said blocks. 4

2. A road comprising a base, a layerof binder on the u per surfacethereof and a layer of hard rubber paving blocks laid thereon in spaced loosely interlocked relationship having' comparatively weak pro'ections on the ends and sides thereof adapte lto project into complementar recesses on the ends and sides of adjacent b ocks, said projections being of a substantially greater length than the length of said recesses but of a substantially lesser width, whereby said blocks may be s aced by said projections under ordinary tra c and climatic conditions and, under ex-` treme temperatures, said base may expand without getting said blocksout offalignment and oncontraction thereof saidl rejections may bend without bulging said vlocksl.` 3. A road `comprising a buse, a layer of composition coal-tar and rubber cement binderon the u persurface thereof," and a layer of hard rub r paving blocks laid there.

on inV spaced loosely mterlocked?y relationship having comparatively weak projections Aon the ends and sides thereof adapted to project into complementa .recesses on the ends and sides of adjacent b oclrsa` said projections be of a substantially greater f length than'the length of said recessesibut ofqa 'substantially lesserwi dth,.wherehy said ,blocks maybe "spaoedfb said projections 'under ordinary traliic` an climatic conditions and, under extreme temperatures, said' base `may expand without getting said blocks out of alignment andoncontractiol! thereof: said projections l may bendwithout bulging said blocks.

4. A road comprising arelatively expansible and contractible basc,a,` layer of `hinder on the fu per` surface thereof, and a layer of hard ru bervpaving blocksflaid thereon in spacedA loosely interlockedi relationship having comparatively weak 'pro'ections onfthe ends and. sides thereof adapte j to reject into complementary recesses on the `en s and sides of adjacent blocks, said projections beingof` composition coaltar and` rubber cement binder on the 4upper surface thereof,- and a layer of hard rubber paving blocks laid thereon in spaced interlockcd relationship, said blocks having means `thereon adapted to cooperate with complementary means on adjacent blocks to space said blocks and to permitl expansion .of said base without said blocks getting out ofalignment and to permit contractionof said base without bulging said blocks.

6. A road comprising a binder on the upper surface thereof, a layer l of hard rubber paving blocks laid thereon in' spaced interlocked relationship, said blocks having means thereon adapted to cooperate with complementary means on adjacent blocks to space said blocks and to permit expansion of said base without said blocks get base, a layer of ting out of alignment and to permit contrac-4 vtion of said base without bulgin said blocks andcushionin recesses on the ase thereof` to receive said inder and to aid in pneumati-` cally bin'ding said blocks to said base. f 'l A'road comprising a relatively expan# sible contractiblebase, a layerof binder r,on'the upper Asurface thereof, and a'layer of hard rubber paving-blocks laidI thereon in 'spaced interlocked relationship, said blocks' having means thereon adap j tocooperate means -on adjacent withfcomplementa?ll l k udito p rmit e j c sa e X.-

blooksto space said pension -ofQsaid base `with()utsaid v blocks getting outofialignmentland tol' `rmit contract-ff tionofsad'base without-bulging said blocks. q

8. As a new article lofrinanufacture, a hard rubber. paving1 blockv having comparatively weak projections on one side and recesses on the oppositeside thereo,.fsaid projections bes.

ing of a substantially greatei'len'gth than the .llgth lof saidv recesses `but;` ,j Substantially lesser-width.

'9. The 'claim according the-.projections and` recessesvare-ilocated ad-g` jacent-"t base thereof.`

. 10. The claim according to in iwliicll'fv than .k is .providedwiatusaieaipgae cessesjon'the base thereof.` I v 11; Asa new mi 1e msv *anuficcarsissglla rubber paving block'. having Acomparatively weak projections on one side and end thereof j and recesses on the opposite side and and` 4 thereof, said projections being yof substan# tially greater length than therlength of said recesses but of a substantially lesser width. f

12. The claimaccording to claim v`11 in-` Which'the 'projections and recesses are located l adjacent t 13. The claim accordin to claimfll which the block is provide with :cushioning i recesses on the base thereof.l

In testimony whereof I- ailix *myl signature..J

LUKE einen- 

